Filter assembly



July 29, 1952 l L. G. ALEXANDER FILTER ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 7, 1949 HW ,f

Y ann r k M -a a ilteringv unit comprising Patented July Z9, 1952 WixAccessories Cor acorporation of North Carolina Application February '7,1949,"Serial-No.77431937A 1 claim'. (c1. zio-.448)

The invention relates ymachined center post or tube and depends upon f aclose metal-to-metal t between the center p'ost and the openings in theend plates of the assembly to secure proper sealing without the use ofadditional gaskets, gasket retainers, etc. In a -metal-to-metal sealingjoint of this type the length of the joint is an important factor inreducing the amount of leakage through the joint and practicalelimination of leakage. In this typev of metal-'to-metal joint a bearingarea is required having a minimum length of vesixteenths of an inch.

Because of the light metal necessaryifor the end plates of the iilterunit lingorder, to allow lock seeming to theshell, it is not possible toextrude the end plate itself at the central opening thereof to a depthof nyc-sixteenths (de) of yan inch,and it is an object 'of the presentinvention to equip the .end plate vwith a fitting/'made of aseparatepiece of metal "which, due 'to lits 'small diameter, can be extruded4very readily #to the desiredrlength to fit-the center post and-providea proper sealing of the end plates.

Another object of the invention is to provide an accurately controlledsealing iitting which can be easily and economically produced and at thesame time will act as a centering device and pilot for the center tube.

I-Ieretofore, it was proposed to project the center tube through the endplates at both ends of the assembly and try to hold the inside diameterof the center tube to the required close tolerance. This center tube wasof the lock seam type and considerable leakage resulted from thedeformation due to the lock seam. Furthermore, on all machine made lockseam tubes no way has yet been found to eliminate a taper from one endof the tube to the other. The result was, therefore, that the ends ofthese tubes varied much morerthan the permissible requirements and thenet result was either too tight or too loose a joint.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel construction ofmetal-to-metal joint in this type of filter unit which will not beaffected by the lock seaming between the shell and Aclosey tolerances.

Leon G. Alexander, Charlotte,N.-G, 'afSSigllor-to poration, "Gastonia,.N;.l .(35, A.

ables'and permit easy attainment-:of thefrequired asealingtting adaptedto 'engage the inneitztube and'hold thesamein .proper position whengfthe'unit is :assembled and which ",.willalsoserveeas 1 a pilottfor guidingthe tube.' into proper position lin'assembling'the unit. J i

yWith `the abovev and other zobjectsinfview, sithe invention consists initheconstruction-'and novel combination and `arrangement v:of parts:hereinafter 'fully described, illustrated 'in'atheiacc'ompanyingdrawings and vpointed out inthe'JcIaims heretoappended, it bein'g understoodithat-svarious changes in theform,,proportionsyandtminr details ofconstruction, within the scopeoffltlie claims, may be resorted"towithoutfdepartingfrom the spirit'or:sacrificing-anyf of the :advantages ofthe invention;

In the drawings: l y I, jf Fig. 1 is Ia central vertical sectionalviewof va yltering -unit liavii'iganassembly in accordance with thisinvention? l Fig. 2 isa horizontal sectional =-vi'e'the1ine2-2-ofr'ig.1';' 'j 1v Fig. 3 is yadetailperspectiveview o thesea-lj ing fitting.vv i i f 1 In the accompanying draw-ing', inwhicisillus'f trated a preferred embodiment-ofthe y ention, the lilterassembly comprises Vin its? construction an outer cylindrical shell I,end plates 2, an inner tube 3 and sealing ttings 4. The outer shell,which is provided with perforations 5, is constructed of sheet metal orother suitable material and the end plates 2, which are imperforateexcept for an opening E, are constructed of thin sheet metal and aresecured at their outer peripheries to the cylindrical shell by alockseam 1. Theinner tube 3, which is also provided with perforations 8,is constructed of` sheet metal or other suitable material and theannular space enclosed o-r dened by the outer shell, the inner tube andthe end plates, is lled with any suitable ilbrous filtering material 9adapted for ltering lubricant of the type used in lubricating systems ofinternal combustion engines of the automotive type, but the filteringunit may be employed for filtering liquid of any nature where afiltering unit of this character is required.

Each end plate, at its center opening, is extruded slightly to form anoutwardly projecting annular flange I0 in which is fitted and secured aninner tubular sealing portion I I of the sealing fitting 4, which issecured to the end plate before assembly. The sealing fitting which isconstructed .of a separate comparatively small piece of thin sheet metalcomprises an outer peripheral rim I2, the said inner tubular sealingportion I l, and an intermediate annular connecting portion I3,approximately L-shaped in cross section, extendinginwardly `from theinner periphery of the rim*v I2 and` radially to the inner end of thetubular sealing portion Il. The inner tubular sealing portion extendsinwardly and outwardly beyond the plane of the end plate which islocated approximately midway between the ends of the tubular sealingportion. Because of the relatively small size of the sealing fittingtheinner tubular bearing portion may be extruded the desired or necessarylength to form a proper metal-to-metal joint between the fitting and aclosely mechined center post I4.

The rim of the sealing fitting fits against the inner face of the endplate 2 and the inner Vtubular sealing portion `I I extends outwardlyintothe annular ilange I0 and has its outer end in ush relation with theouter edge fof vthe flange. I0. Y The rim I2 and the tubular bearingportion II may be fixedly secured to the end plate in any desired mannerand the close fit ibetween the inner tubular sealing portion I I andth'ecenter post I4, because .of the length of the sealing portion I I,provides a proper joint without the useY of additional gaskets, gasketretainers, l

etc. Also the intermediate annular connecting yportion I3, whichprojects inwardly from the end plate, ts within the adjacent end of theinner orfcenter tube 3 and it forms a pilot for guiding thecenter tubeinto position in assembling the filtering unit. The intermediateconnecting portion' I3 of the sealing ntting forms an annularprotuberance at the face of the rim I2 and by :fitting into the end ofthe'center tube the latter is maintained firmly in position when thelparts are assembled. Y

In practice, the vfiltering unit will be arranged within, theconventional filterl casing and the lubricant will enternthrough theperforations 5 fof the shell I and will pass inwardly through thefiltering material and out through the vperforations 8 of the inner tubeand through openings I'5 into the tubular center post, but the flow ,ofllubricant may be outward, if desired, as will b e vreadily understood.

- It-will be seen that the filter assembly is adapted to be readilyslipped over a closely machined center post and that the metal-to-metaljoint will have suiiicient area to provide a proper leak-proof joint andthat the filter unit may be readily removed from the center post andreplaced by a similar lter unit when necessary or desirable. It willalso be clear that it is not necessary to employ gaskets, packing glandsand the like to provide a sealing y,'lointbetween the end plates and thecenter post.

I claim:

A filter comprising a casing consisting of a perforated outer sheetmetal shell, end plates of sheet metal having peripheral portionssecured toendsoi said shell and being formed with aligned centeropenings surrounded by outstanding annular flanges, and a tube ofperforated sheet metal extending throughA the casing centrally thereofand surrounding the openings in the end plates in concentric spacedrelation thereto; and sealing ttings at 'opposite ends of the casingeach of a unitary sheet metal construction and consisting of a centersleeve fitting snugly Within the annular flange of thel adjoining endplate in tight fitting engagement with the said ilange and extendinginwardly from the said end plate into the perforated tube, a at rimextending about said sleeve midway the length thereof in spacedconcentric relation thereto and tting tightly between the adjoining endof the perforated tube and the inner surface of the said end plate, andan annular connecting portion integral with the rim and the sleeve andextending from the inner periphery of the rim into the perforated tubein tight fitting engagement therewith and connected with the inner endof the sleeve by a transversely arcuate portion merging into the sleeve.

LEON G. ALEXANDER.

REFERENCES YCITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent: v

UNITED STATES Pii'r'nrrrsV Number Date l Briggs May 3, 1949

